It has been one week since I came back to Cobourg. This week felt like a lifetime waiting for a call to see an Oncologist here in Ontario. This week I was overwhelmed with words of encouragement and emotions. It was so nice to see so many people and reconnect with them. I just want to say thank you to everyone for their hugs, smiles and words of encouragement because they do truly help me.
As soon as I got in the house, my mom told me I had a package. My High School Best Friend Cheyne had her mom drop of a "Box of Sunshine". Everything was yellow in it. It really did brighten my day. Everyone close to me knows that the most disappointing factor of this journey has been having to move back to Cobourg. Seeing this box with words of encouragement from Cheyne made me realize that I will be ok here on Cobourg and I have such an amazing support system in town. This past weekend my family and I went to our cousins cottage and it was such a nice break. It has been "go, go, go" for so many weeks trying to get my schooling done and getting all my doctors appointments set up. I was also able to see a few of my high school friends as well. It is amazing that after so long we can just pick up where we left off. Another added bonus to my week, was seeing my friend Katie who is from Newfoundland. Her ship "HMCS Goosebay" happened to be in Cobourg and she was able to give me a private tour. This week I have felt a change in my health. I have felt extremely tired and I have been feeling pains in my chest from what I think is my pressure on my chest from my enlarged lymph nodes. Yesterday I finally met with my Oncologist/Hematologist in Peterborough. He said that from my previous CT scan, I have early stage Hodgkins. Before I start Chemotherapy, I have to do a CT scan on my chest which will be done here in Cobourg and I also have to complete a PET scan which can only be done in Toronto at either Princess Margaret or Sunny Brook Hospital. I will hopefully get a call for those scans next week. I also have to get a PICC line in my arm, which will allow the chemo drugs to enter my arm as well as be the area for the nurses to take my blood. Once that is in my arm, someone will have to come to the house once a week and flush it out. I will also have to attend a chemotherapy teaching session in which I will learn all the side effects of the drugs and how I will have to adjust my daily routine while I'm on chemo. Fortunately, I will be able to get treatment and see my doctor in Cobourg. Every other Thursday I will be seeing my Oncologist and on the opposite weeks on the Tuesday will be my Chemo days. The plan for me right now is to have 4 doses of chemo, one every other week meaning 2 months of chemotherapy. The chemotherapy I will be receiving is called ABVD. After Chemotherapy the plan is for me to receive radiation and the duration for that is unknown. I am expected to start chemo in 2 weeks time. It feels so good to have a plan in place. However; when man makes plans, god laughs. That is what I have learn't so far. In life we can have plan but it always changes. It has been such a long journey so far and I know I have a long road ahead of me. Below I have added some links to help you all learn what ABVD is and some other links to help you answer any questions you all may have. PET Scan: http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/diagnosis-and-treatment/tests-and-procedures/positron-emission-tomography-pet-scan/?region=sk ABVD: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancerinformation/cancertreatment/treatmenttypes/chemotherapy/combinationregimen/abvd.aspx Hodgkins Lymphoma: http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/hodgkin-lymphoma/hodgkin-lymphoma/?region=on
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Author: Katie BarkerJust an average Sailor who battled Cancer and won! Archives
August 2018
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